BART gets rail extension funding

A regional transportation committee voted Wednesday to reallocate $91 million of bridge toll money to build the 5.4-mile BART rail extension to the Warm Springs district of Fremont.

The allocation means only one more vote by the full commission is needed before BART can begin to seek bids for the extension.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission programming and allocations committee agreed Wednesday to reallocate the money away from a proposed commuter rail service across the Dumbarton Bridge, a project still in the early planning stages and far from being fully funded.

The full transportation commission is expected to give final approval later this month to the reallocation, despite grumbling from San Mateo County residents who contend the reallocation is unfair to their area and could cripple chances for rail service across the Dumbarton Bridge.

BART plans next month to seek bids for the Warm Springs extension, which was planned more than 15 years ago but has been held up by a lack of funds as BART poured money into a now-finished rail extension to San Francisco International Airport.